Labels

Saturday, February 23, 2013

I just tried this moisturizer today, and though I can't give an evaluation yet, but I think I'm about to fall in some deep deep kind of love! The scent is amazing, it absorbs REALLY quickly, and leaves the skin feeling sooooo good! The formula feels a lot more watery than the moisturizer I have been using for the last month, which is the Dior Hydra Life Sorbet Cream, but its not slippery, its just really impressive. I don't know if this hype is going to be any helpful, but I thought it was rather extraordinary, especially that I have been kind of satisfied with my moisturizer, but definitely open for other recommendations and suggestions. I would have never gone to a Givenchy counter by myself, I stick to my comfort zone, Guerlain, Dior, Lancome, and Chanel, and I dont think I would buy their makeup products, but I am definitely curious about their skin care products, especially the moisturizer, since I'm happy with the rest of my routine, except maybe for the toner! Anyway, I will writing updates about this moisturizer quite often! This is basically a first impression kind of review, and the rest is in the making!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I must admit that since I am relatively new to the makeup industry, I dont have a lot of lipsticks yet. But the colors I have are rather different, which is good because I wont get bored wearing the same shade every day! And now, without further ado, here are my lipsticks listed from my favorite to my least favorite:

1. Guerlain Shine Automatique # 265 Pao Rosa (I have an entire post on this lipstick with more pictures)

I've spent a lifetime in hell,Interviewing people who have plenty to tell;Some are criminals, others just in sin fell,And when I told them my story, they only said "well!"

After I've known all the misfortunes of human kind,To rise back to heaven was the plan in mind.But there was a god I couldn't find,And back to hell I returned, where they called me blind.

Books of religions, philosophy, science and politics I read,Looking for proof that seemed thinner than a thread.I found no answer, and tired I turned to bed,Undid my dress, exposed the thighs I dread.

Closing my eyes wasn’t that tough a mission,For that no one needs permission!But still I thought of it, him, it, my ambition,An oh wait, I still felt that, the aggression!

Believing was hard for me,God's signals seemed to silent to be!But in hell I'd rot, I needed to be free,To heaven fly, like to roses flew a flea.

Then suddenly a thought crossed my mind!If heaven wont welcome me, and hell I cant abide,Then maybe earth is where I my comfort find.But then I wonder, was I that blind?

Packed my bags, to earth I took a walk.Arrived, looked around, and terribly needed to talk,Tried this and that, but they stared and asked "who are you trying to stalk!"I turned my back and left, oh I was someone to mock!

A day passed, a week, a month, a year, then two,And every morning from the trees I drank the dew.Then one day towards me came a fewFellows who asked me about you.

They didn’t know my heart broke when you left,When to heaven you rose, stealthily like in a theft!And then I took the chance and shed a tear from my chest.And then they saw it, and knew how badly to heaven I needed to get.

The first one wiped my tear away,The second had few things to say:"Dear child, or maiden, if I may,Take you, by the hand, to a tour, just for a day."

Nothing had I to lose,But what was it I had to choose,A day of research on how to heaven take a cruise,Or a day of knowledge with my fellow, Mr. blues?

Accompanying my new friend, I left.Mountains, rivers, seas, we crosst,Until we reached the end where he endlessly wept,As from the mountain's peak he simply leapt!

Appalled I surely was!Suicide wrecked all my grasp of laws!He lived a life I thought had no flaws,But death to him had better be close.

Still staring at where he stood,Suddenly I saw there an envelope of wood,That seemed to have been there for good.Then I bent and opened it, and read all that I understood.

It talked about this self sacrificing love,Where peace no longer implied that dove.At once I found myself in a magnificent grove,Where you stood there, saying, give me your troubles to solve!

I didn’t know whether to smile or to sob,But it seemed like I have finally finished my job.But was I to allow you myself to rob,And in your arms never to throb?

I approached you with a smiling face,And in your arms I threw my grace.You greeted me with your warm embrace,And all my wounds, said you will erase.

You took me in you arms and said,"I know I hurt you, I know you desired to be dead,But your journey you had to tread,So that you'll appreciate what's to happen in this eternity ahead."

It seems to me experience was highly rated,But now I guess I used to take it for granted,And so, from now on the song I hear is the one chantedBy my good fellows back when to heaven I in vain anticipated.

He looked her in the eyes All he could see was his reflectionAn image of himself, but yet, it wasn't him.Disappointed he turned back and left,Forgot about her hazel eyes, And the purity he saw in them that day.Wandering the countries he laid by a river,A river as clear as a cloudless, starless, and birdless sky.He stared at the river, but thenAll he could see was his plain reflection. The river was after all just a river,And as the river was just a river to the man, The man was a stranger to the river.The poor fellow took off his wallet,What he found there was little money,And then oh, he found her picture.He took it out of the wallet, stared at it, but still, itWas just a picture, it was just a piece of paper And some ink, and discontentedly he threw her away, set her free back to the wind .Still he was unhappy, he still believed, From the very bottom of his heart, that thereMust be someone to view him distinctly. On his way to the high mountains, the manMet a woman, a pregnant poor woman,Pleading for money to feed her little daughter.In her, her saw agony, despair and hopelessness,But in her eyes, he saw himself to be someone almighty,Way better than her, someone rich, replete, and fulfilled.He looked at her, then he stared back at himself,He knew he was not any of what she thought he was,He knew he was a deprived man, starving For love, and searching for a welcoming glimpse of familiarity.Seeing despair, apathy, and absolute foreignness Reminded him of the ones he lost in search of himself.But no, a journey is a commitment, he was not Going to give in to his lonesome yearning.And so, the mountains he climbed, and from the peakHe stared at whatever world was laid upon him. Still, what he could see was not complete, What he felt was loneliness, fatal seclusion. And then he knew all he needed wasHis old friend, her, and her hazel eyes.Down to earth our hero rushed, through Oceans, valleys, deserts, he raced like aMighty warrior returning home. Returning from a Cruel monstrous battle, a battle where he stood alone, and The enemy was disguised, but oh, he was there.As the knight made it home, he knew thatHome was right there in her arms, right there in His reflection in her hazel eyes, he knew thatPeople never achieve integrity, and thatHappiness can only be attained in the arms of loved ones.

Start all over again,A new poem, a new line,Another muse out of ashes,Roaming the skies like a phoenix. Time to rebuild, reconstruct,Gather my shattered soul, And recreate an identity, a being. No more your vision in me, No more asking you whoI am and what should I be.This time I will be my own master,And maid, and even caster.Fly or dive, run or crawl, But never to sink, never to stop.Tis but my limitless mind, This endless journey of self discovery,Is but a constant change and rediscovery,Growth and development, seeking fulfillment,My soul is starved, it's not an ailment.I shall embrace my potentials,And they shall always run faster, and faster,Challenging me on the verge of an unaccomplished disaster. I'll get better, I promise, and ever better,For I am a young soul,And no undiscovered distant sky,Beyond mine, and your horizon,Can ever be my paralyzing border.

Last time I wrote about my skin care routine, I mentioned that I was trying some samples out from Dior, and I said that I will be updating you guys with changes in my skin, changes of my opinion, meaning whether I start loving or hating a product, and so on. Therefore, today I thought I should post an update since it is a rather special day to be honest! Today I went to my Dior Counter and bought 2 of what I have been trying, and a BB cream that I have read many reviews about as well as I have seen some videos on YouTube about it.

First of all, I would like to say that I loved all three products that I was trying out: the Hydra Life Sorbet cream, the Capture Totale Skin Boosting Super Serum, and the Capture Totale Eye Zone Boosting Super Serum. However, I got the serums and did not get the moisturizer for the following reason:

Products that come in a jar are more exposed to air, and therefore, they are more likely to oxidize, and this means that it is more likely to become less effective with time. Now I don't know if this is true, but for me, I think that careful is better than sorry, therefore, I want products with pumps rather than products is jars.

My skin is normal to combination, my t zone is the oiliest area in my face, which is pretty normal. So, I was looking for a product that will be sufficient for all the areas of my face, from the driest ones to the oiliest ones. I can honestly say that the products I used where perfect, I felt that my t zone was remarkably less greasy than ever, and the rest of my face was soft and moisturized. It matched the needs of every inch of my skin, which is what I was looking for in a skin care routine.

My skin absorbs the serums rather quickly, though I must say that the eye serum takes longer, but by the time you finish applying serum on your face, your eyes would have absorbed the serum sufficiently.

I cannot really pinpoint the changes my skin care routine has done during the last couple weeks, but I have received many compliments, and even my mother who was a little skeptical about the cost of all the products told me that my skin looks pretty, and she said that I look much more lively and healthy, and she actually started considering converting to Dior as well. However, I should say that I have not had any breakouts ever since I started this routine, and I think, not so sure though, that my skin looks brighter, glowier, and more evened out, but I am not sure whether this is true, or just some kind of a psychological wishful thinking thing.

Anyway, I also got the BB cream with spf of 30, which was also why I did not want the Hydra Life Sorbet Cream which has no SPF at all, since its water based. I wont be using this tomorrow, though I will use it the day after, because I am going out. I got more samples of the Hydra life that will help me get through the month so that next month I'll be able to get the Skin Perfect Pore Refining Perfecting Moisturizes, which fortunately comes in a pump, and this will be my night cream, as well as day cream when I am not going out.

In terms of the fourth Dior Product that I have, I have the Instant Gentle Exfoliant With Pure Lily Extracts, that is meant to match all skin types. So far so good to be honest, I really like this so much, it feels quite refreshing and I have been enjoying using this twice a week, after the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Exfoliating Cream, which is honestly amazing. I had a rough start with Decleor, but the products I am using now have been really lovely!

So far I can say that I am loving my skin care routine, and I cant wait to get the other moisturizer by Dior. And as I promised, I will keep updating my routine results and changes if there will be any.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

This perfume is one to die for! I have only tried it today for the first time in my whole life, which is a bad thing of course, but ever since I took a sniff, I was head over heels! I still love other perfumes and this is not the best I have smelled throughout the last 22 years, but this is one of them! I have to admit I don't really like vanilla, sine I am more into fruity and floral scents, but this one is different for some reason! I have nothing to compare it to, nothing is really similar to this in my opinion! I still believe that nothing can top my lovely Lola by Marc Jacobs, but out of all the perfumes that I have smelled from Dior, I think that this is probably the best, and even J'adore which I did love, does not come close to this. But, I would say that this is most suitable for a night out, since its quite heavy, and I think its also wintery, I think the warmth of Vanilla is the reason why I think this is wintery, because my idea of summer is more fresh, either floral or fruity! The packaging really looks like a potion bottle, kinda reminds me of some of Guerlain's Terractotta lip glosses' packaging, but those are a complete other story that does not belong here! Anyway, I really love Poison, and I'm afraid I'm going to start using this daily since spring is knocking on our doors!

Guerlain makes amazing lipsticks, and the formula of the Rouge G line is one of the best out there, for it is super creamy and moisturizing, quite long lasting, the colors are well pigmented and pretty as well. However, for such an expensive lipstick, I would suggest that you buy darker colors, more opaque ones, rather Gabrielle. Gabrielle is a peachy nude color, its truly very pretty, but since the color is very light, it does not leave a stain, and therefore, it does not last as long as I would have liked, especially with eating and drinking.

In terms of packaging, I'm sure a lot of people has either seen this in Guerlain counters and online. It looks quite luxurious to be honest, its silver, looks like an oval to me, though others have described it as a bullet. when you open the packaging, a mirror opens up so you can apply the lipstick while looking in the mirror, which is rather functional. But, for such a gorgeous packaging, its only logical that it will be rather hefty. I wouldn't recommend carrying more than one Rouge G around. Though it is very luxurious looking, I would say that I am not a huge fan of this packaging, and that is not because of the weight at all. This packaging is very attracted to fingerprints, I am afraid of touching it and spoiling its beauty. Moreover, its very difficult to store, it doesn't stand, and therefore, it takes a lot of room, and it makes me hesitant to go and buy the other colors I really want!

Overall, I'd say that this lipstick is lovely as a formula, and Gabrielle is a gorgeous color, but does not last as much. The packaging looks lovely and the idea of the mirror is really good, however, why not make the metal less attracted to fingerprints, and why not make one of the ends straight so it can stand up and not take too much room. I would recommend starting with a darker shade for those who are interested, and I would also recommend buying only one and seeing how you manage to store this in your vanity, and see whether the weight is suitable for you to carry around!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

I am truly late to the game, I have just started a skin care routine like a week ago, but I feel like I should start writing about it already and not keep all the updates until I have seen all the results after a decent period of time, because I believe the process is quite important as well! Therefore, today I will mention the products I have been using, the products I tried before, and a brief description on how to apply them and what they feel like.
To start, I must say that skin care is definitely not a thing that works for everybody in the same way, however, it never hurts to hear what other people have to say. I have a normal to combination skin type, and as you can expect, my t zone is the most oily area of my face, therefore, the products I am using may not work for many skin types, and not even me, because it has only been a week since I started using the products as a routine rather than a once or twice a week kind of thing.

The first product I want to talk about is a product I no longer use, and it is a product that I have dedicated an entire blog post on it, which I will link right after this brief description. The product I am talking about is the Decleor Hydra Floral Anti Pollution Flower Nectar Moisturizing Cream. The product is truly rich and super moisturizing. It is a moisturizer therefore you just have to apply it directly to your face, avoiding the eyes area, and it was meant to be used during the day. On me, it was just way too heavy and rich, that my skin could not absorb, and it made me super shiny and greasy, and caused gigantic breakouts. The rest of the information are to be found in this following link:
http://carolcosmis.blogspot.co.il/2013/02/decleor-hydra-floral-anti-pollution.html

The next product I wanted to mention is also a product that I have stopped using, and its the Lancome Genifique Eye Youth Activating Cream. My issues with this were also greasiness. This didn't cause any breakouts, though I have never seen breakouts near the eye area in my life before, so I don't know if that is possible at all. Anyhow, I stopped using it because it felt awfully greasy on my eyelids, and it made my eye make up fade and transfer and what not, it was just a horrible experience and I just couldn't carry on using a product that was making my Guerlain eye shadow quads fade in less than a few hours!

The next product I wan to mention is also by Decleor, and it is the Aroma Cleanse Exfoliating Cream. Now this has more of a mask kind of texture, or at least that's how I will describe it. It should be applied on the face, avoiding the eye area, and then it should be left to dry for a couple minutes, and then exfoliated gently in an upwards kind of motion, placing one hand gently near the area that the other hand is working on. This shouldn't be used more than twice a week. I have been using this for over a month and a half, and I honestly love it. I can feel my skin being refreshed and revived, and I can physically see and feel the dead skin that is being exfoliated. I dont know how good it will be on different skin types, but I think it is doing a great job on my skin.

The next product is a product I purchased recently without having tried beforehand, and it is the Dior Instant Gentle Exfoliant With Pur Lily Extract that is meant to be applicable for all skin types. this is also a product that is meant to be used no more that three times a week. This should be applied on a damp face, avoiding the eyes area, it should be massaged thoroughly and rinsed with water. I do like it in the shower, its very nice and refreshing, and the fine beads within the formula feel like they truly are doing something and kind of sinking inside the skin, exfoliating and refreshing it! so far, it has not irritated my skin or caused any greasiness or breakouts, but I guess I shouldn't go ahead and declare my dedicated love to it in a haste, right?

After I use the Decleor Exfoliating Cream and the Dior Instant Gentle Exfoliant, and in general when I dont use these products, I start with a makeup remover even when I am not wearing makeup, just to clean my skin a little bit before I start with my routine. The makeup remover I am currently using is the Guerlain Secret De Purite. I really like this makeup remover, it doesnt irritate any part of my face, especially my eyes, it smells lovely, and its not too greasy! I believe that people who view this blog post already know how to apply makeup removers, so I wont discuss that because it is obvious. However, I think I will probably go back to use the Lancome Bi Facil because I just likes it a tad more than I like the Guerlain makeup remover.

Now that my face is quite clean, I start with my daily routine that I do early in the morning and at night right before I go to bed. Now I think some people might consider it a bit excessive, since I am only 22 years old, but I think its never too early to start taking care of yourself. So, without any further ado, lets get started.

First I use the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Cleansing Gel, which is like a soap that should be applied on a damp face and kinda foamed with water, avoiding the eye area, and then obviously it must be rinsed. I do like it a lot, it is meant to me used for combination to oily skin types, so it does match my face and my t zone rather well. It does not make me feel greasy or shiny, it feels very clean and refreshing and LIGHT which is what I like best about this product. The face must always be cleaned, and I think that this does a rather good job at it.

Next I use the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Cleansing Milk Face & Eyes, which is a milk that just like has been described, it can be used all over the face, including the eye area, and then after it has been massaged well, it should be wiped off with a cotton pad. Now this is nice, but it makes me feel a little oily, which is probably normal for such products, but I honestly don't like it at all. But after I finish the rest of my routine, it doesnt feel greasy anymore, so I am a little bit confused on whether to keep it or not.

After the milk, I use a toner, and the toner I use is also by Decleor and it is the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Tonifying Lotion. I really like it, it makes my skin feel really lovely and not as greasy as it felt after the cleansing milk. I haven't seen a visible difference, but I do feel like my skin is breathing after I apply it. However, for some reason, I do think like it feels like aftershaves may feel like, I mean that it does feel like my skin is a little bit on a flame for a minute or two, but then it just feels so good afterwards. I dont know whether it is normal or not, but if this wont have any visible effect like I expect of a toner, then I will probably try something else.

Next I use an eye serum, and the eye serum I'm using at the moment is the Dior Capture Totale Eyes Essential Eye Zone Boosting Super Serum. I like this way better this way better than the Lancome eye cream I used to use before, it doesnt make my eyelids greasy, it doesnt have any effect of my eye makeup, and it makes my eyes feel much more awake, and I think it has helped with my dark circles. I dont know how necessary this thing is, but I think I will find out about that in the future.

Then, I use the Dior Capture Totale One Essential Skin Boosting Super Serum. I have started using it a couple days ago, but I feel like it really helps my skin absorb everything way better, especially the moisturizer I use afterwards. I cant say whether or not it had any visible effect on my skin, but I like how it makes me feel less greasy than ever.

Last but not least is the moisturizer, and the moisturizer I am using is the Dior Hydra Life Pro-Yoth Sorbet Creme. I like it, I think it has just the right amount of moisture, it is really easy to apply and my skin seems to absorb it rather quickly, which is good. It is winter, and my skin is normally drier than ever, and I believe this has really helped with the dryness of this weather, and the smell is much more tolerable than the Decleor Hydra Floral cream scent.

Overall, I havent seen a lot of changes, mainly because I am new to this whole skin care habit. I have felt that this has diminished some of the blemishes I had after using the greasy Decleor cream, and I feel like my face is less oily and more lively. I will keep updating you with whatever changes I experience, and hopefully it will all be good news!

3. In One Person by John Irving
John Irving happens to be my all time favorite novelist, and his writing style happens to appeal to me most! This is by no means as exquisite as A Prayer for Owen Meany, but its close! I don't want to talk about the plot, because I dont want to spoil anybody's experience while reading this masterpiece, and I don't think the plot is what makes this book really amazing in the first place. Throughout reading this book, I was very impressed by the language itself, which is probably what makes Irving one of the most remarkable authors of our time. The characters are beautifully described and its easy to be taken by them and to feel like you are actually seeing them in action while reading this book, because it does offer a mental kind of experience that is by no means weird, but is rather beautiful, and it is what makes reading books great in my opinion.

2. The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde
This is a classic that took me 22 years to finally have the privilege of reading. This is funny, witty, entertaining, and its easy to read! I read in in less that a day because I couldnt put it down. I definitely understand the reason why Oscar Wilde is highly praised and admired! I cant wait to read more of his plays and any other kind of writing that he does!

1. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
And I thought I don't like mystery! That was a fallacy, a wrong assumption, because the combination of Gothic elements and good literature is a winner and we only need a great book like this one to discover it! the plot itself is interesting, it definitely makes the book hard to put down because you cant wait to know what will happen. I wont go into details regarding the plot because I dont want to tell you the story, all I want to do is to actually make you want to purchase this book or even borrow it and actually read it. I have never been surprised by the way a story turns out to be, and I have read books that have the potential of being surprising or of having some unexpected turns and twists here and there. I believe this would be really fun to read, and the kind of references this book has are also quite great for a modern book. Therefore, I definitely recommend this book to everybody out there who are looking for a real great read!

Friday, February 8, 2013

7. Boucheron Jaipur Bracelet
Now this one doesnt seem to have that much love and attention, but this perfume is truly beautiful! Its very floral and sweet smelling to me, and I love putting this on the my turtlenecks and sniffing it throughout the day!

6. Guerlain Shalimar
Now people say this is a grownup kind of perfume, and I think that if this was true, then grownups smell heavenly to me! I cant pinpoint exactly what this smells like, but I'll have to say that its complex and mysterious and SEXY! I love Shalimar, and I think its really the best perfume Guerlain has ever executed and produced, and no wonder it has been in the spotlight for ages now!

5. Carolina Herrera CH for women
The smell is really woody and delicious. I think its a love or hate kind of fragrance. But I personally think it smells great and it lasts for a fair enough amount of time!

4. Prada Candy
This is super sweet, and its smells like Candy, but the smell fades into this sweet almost woody kind of smell, which I think I really like! I wish it was more long lasting, but I still love it very much!

3. Jivago 24K Gold
This is the most amazing floral scent that is out there. It costs a pretty penny but it makes me smell HEAVENLY! It lasts for quite some time and it makes my wardrobe smell pretty too if that makes any sense!

2. YSL Cinema
I honestly cannot describe this perfume, its just really delicious and I think its the kind that makes you wanna repurchase over and over again and never wanna be out of it!

1. Marc Jacobs Lola <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I give it five hearts instead of stars, because hearts express love more than stars can ever do! This thing is addictive! I cannot live without it, and I wear it probably more than I wear all of the perfumes above, COMBINED! This is really fruity, it really does smell like pear, and I love the way pear smells and tastes, and I LOVE LOLA!

Decleor is a brand that is famous for its spa products, rich with natural oils, and pleasant scents. However, those rich natural oils can be too heavy for people with combination skin, especially on an oily t-zone. Even though it has a day cream and a night cream, I find them both way too heavy on me, and I believe they made me break out, and probably gave me the largest pimple ever, that I am still recovering from after nearly a month! Moreover, the scent of many Decleor products at once can get overwhelming, which actually gave me a headache just as big as the pimple! luckily I only had a sample!
The day cream was really too heavy that at first, when I was using it as a day cream, it made my eyeshadow fade, and I am talking about eyeshadows that used to last for around 12 hours on my lids! I should have realized that those were early signs of my skin having an oil overdose, but I still continued using it until the breakouts. When I first had them, they were large, but I have breakouts like that before, though never as many or as long-lasting! I thought it was because of pressure, since it was during the time I had to present my seminar paper in front of the entire class and the lecturer and all that jazz, so I kept on using it, only at night, and each morning I'd wake up and wipe it off my face and wash my face a hundred thousand time, but my face would still feel super greasy, and trust me, that felt really bad!
I stopped using the product after like a little over a month, when I had this big fat ugly pimple in the middle of my chin, and no I did not take a picture to share with anybody, because who needs to see that much ugliness in a single tiny chin!
Anyhow, I think that people with dry skin should really try it out, its super rich and it has enough oil for an entire lifetime! BUT, if you are combination, and especially oily, BEWARE, dont come near this thing, its dangerous and can kill your beautiful faces with those gigantic pimples I had!
However, I still love Decleor, especially their Aroma Cleanse line (the exfoliating cream, cleansing gel, cleansing milk, and the tonifying lotion). So its not a disclaimer or anything, Decleor is still really good, just know that if you see signs of oiliness anywhere in your face, and the t-zone in particular, its probably because you're using too much Decleor for your skin!